Tag: suresh menon

When cricket is forced to serve an agenda, everyone loses

September 1, 2026 admin

In his superb analysis of Pakistan cricket’s troubles on and off the field, Osman Samiuddin writing in Cricinfo uses the phrase “governmentalisation of the board.” It might be an awkward construction, but you can’t argue with its relevance in the subcontinent. Governmentalisation of the cricket board has a long and hoary history here. A large section of fans thinks it’s…

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Sooryavanshi has made a point — let us resolve to leave him alone

July 28, 2026 admin

When Mahendra Singh Dhoni was starting out as an India player, he had a favour to ask of the media. Please don’t rush to my parents’ house every time I score some runs, he pleaded. It is difficult to say which comes first, the public’s obsessive interest in a player or the media’s creation of…

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Cricket’s governing body shifts the goalposts for the usual reasons

July 21, 2026 admin

The irony of international cricket is that while the motivation for lower-ranked teams is to improve by playing against top teams, that of two of the stakeholders, television and the International Cricket Council, is money. The interests of the sport therefore often take a backseat. The last 50-over World Cup (in 2023) had only 10…

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BETWEEN WICKETS | Great win for Harmanpreet’s team, and some lessons for the men

July 14, 2026 admin

What the Indian women had and the men lacked in England was better planning, more time to acclimatise (players have been there since May for the World Cup and the T20I series), sensible selection, superior captain-coach co-ordination, better fielding (that catch by Richa Ghosh at silly mid-off was one of the finest ever), keener awareness…

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Kohli and Rohit for the World Cup: only fitness and form should matter

June 23, 2026 admin

Pretty soon, the Indian selectors will have to take a call on the future of two of the greatest players to have put bat to white ball. Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma appear keen to play in the World Cup in October-November next year. India play at least 18 One-Day Internationals before that, possibly…

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IPL | When players go beyond cliches and illuminate the format

April 16, 2024 admin

File picture of Mumbai Indians bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who said he had to ensure he was not a ‘one-trick pony’ | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI The IPL has made one thing clear over the years. There will be huge sixes, big scores, startling bowling figures, misreading of pitches, surprising results. But one thing won’t see…

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IPL-17 | What the heck – more humour, less uniformity, please!

April 2, 2024 admin

Mumbai Indian Captain Hardik Pandya with Rohit Sharma during a practice session | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI Every year the IPL gives rise to many non-stories and irrelevancies. This year (so far) it is the saga of Hardik Pandya versus the fans of Rohit Sharma (and the fans of his own earlier team). Perhaps it’s…

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